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Acupuncture and Stress Management

Everyone is familiar with stress; we all experience it at some point in our lives. For some of us, living with stress is common or chronic. Stress can be defined as a state of physical or psychological tension or strain resulting from demanding or threatening circumstances. When we encounter stress, a natural physiological response called “fight, flight or freeze” gets triggered, releasing a cascade of chemicals that impact all aspects of our body. It is the cause of many health conditions.

The stress response can be helpful when we’re trying to focus, get motivated or rally before a presentation or dangerous feat. And it’s essential if there is an actual threat to our lives. Not all stressors are from negative events. Someone can be equally stressed from planning a party as from dealing with the boss’s demands. The body does not distinguish “good” or “bad” stress; it’s the same response regardless of the cause. While short-term periodic stress is not harmful and can be helpful, prolonged or chronic stress has detrimental effects on physical and mental health.

"I've lived with anxiety and depression for many years. It's difficult to feel motivated, even to do the things I love. I also have Fibromyalgia which exacerbates the problem causing aches, foggy head and fatigue. There are times when I can't get out of bed. I've tried many anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications, but still didn’t feel as good as I know I could. I was skeptical that acupuncture would help. After my first treatment, I felt relaxed and less anxious. After several weeks of treatment, I am sleeping better, have more energy and I'm now working. Acupuncture has made a big difference in my life. Linda has been a great help to me, making me feel relaxed and comfortable to receive treatment. I look forward to continued treatments and starting herbs." -F.E.

Causes and Effects of Prolonged Chronic Stress

My Scottsdale and Paradise Valley patients tell me their main causes of stress are work challenges, health and financial concerns, relationships, hectic lifestyle, social and news media, and uncertainty about the future. Some stress triggers we have control over, but many of them we don’t. We will never escape stressors all together, therefore, we need better ways of managing stress.

The effects of chronic or prolonged stress include regular headaches or migraines, anxiety and depression, insomnia, chronic fatigue, weakened immune system, weight gain or difficulty losing weight, belly fat, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, racing or arrhythmic heart, rapid and shallow breathing, high blood sugar and cholesterol, gut dysbiosis, digestive ulcers, menstrual irregularities and pain, low sex drive, infertility, erectile dysfunction and tense muscles that are susceptible to pain and injury. Reading this list you might be thinking… “I have to do something to help manage stress!”

There are many techniques out there to manage stress and most are helpful. However, no one technique is as powerful and successful as acupuncture at helping people manage stress and at treating related symptoms and illnesses. I say that with complete confidence because my patients have repeatedly seen great results.

Acupuncture Modulates Stress Response

Acupuncture treats the whole person by addressing both the mental and physical aspects of stress. It enables the autonomic nervous system to shift from “fight, flight or freeze” to “rest, digest and create”. In other words, it shifts from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic mode, thereby promoting relaxation and returning the body to homeostasis. It does this by down-regulating the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is the cascade of chemicals that is triggered from stress.

The HPA axis is responsible for physiological changes in the body that increase heart rate, respiration and muscle strength to fight, flee or freeze and shut down digestive, reproductive, excretion, and other regulating functions not needed in emergencies. With continuing stress, the HPA axis never turns off. This shutting down and compromised functioning of important bodily systems is what leads to the many stress-related health problems mentioned earlier.

The Role of Acupuncture and Herbs

Acupuncture, and in some cases herbal medicine, provides the ability to manage daily stressors in healthy and productive ways. It does this by modulating the HPA axis, lowering cortisol levels and promoting the release of endorphins and serotonin—natural chemicals that promote feelings of well-being and happiness. It also keeps all bodily systems operating at optimal levels. Regular acupuncture treatments help strengthen the body’s ability to manage stress and prevent the negative effects of chronic stress from accumulating.

Patients who receive regular acupuncture treatments for stress report improvements in mental health, sleep, muscle tension, headaches, pain relief, digestion, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, menstruation and menopause symptoms, fertility and weight issues.

If you want to regain control of your life and develop physical and emotional resilience to stress while improving your overall well-being, call or text me for a free consultation today.